Making the decision to make drastic lifestyle changes can be a difficult one. If we’re being honest, it’s WAY too easy to not make changes. However, my about three years ago, my husband and I made the choice to drastically change our lifestyle. We were done being fat and out of shape. Over the course of the last three years, I have learned a lot about my body and what I needed to do for dieting success. These are my tips.
*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases*
Pre-Plan Your Day
One of the first things I found to help me be successful day after day, whether I was doing the Keto diet or Weight Watchers (WW), was to pre-plan my day. Whether you are using apps like My Fitness Pal, Carb Manager, or the WW app, start your day out right by pre-planning it out. What I do is, I eat breakfast, log that information, and then I input my dinner. That way I know what I have left for the rest of the day. I used to say I didn’t have will power. However, I think that by pre-planning my day, it taught me how to have will power. I never ate something I didn’t have tracked in my app. Try it…it’s a great tool for dieting success!
Drink Your Water
I know…I know…this is one of those dieting success tips that we are always hearing about, but it’s so true. Not staying hydrated is so bad for us, for so many reasons. If you are like me, you may get bored drinking water. One of the things I do every day is fill my glass water bottle with ice, put a few drops of Young Living lemon oil, and fill with water. I find that drinking the lemon water helps me get my daily intake of water in, and not get bored with plain old water.
Contigo Purity Glass Water Bottle with Petal Sleeve, 20oz, Scuba
Vitality Lemon Essential Oil 5ml by Young Living Essential OilsEllo Syndicate BPA-Free Glass Water Bottle with Flip Lid, Purple, 20 oz.
Take Measurements
This is probably one of the most important dieting success tips. So many times, people (me included) will get discouraged when they are making lifestyle changes because the number on the scale is not budging. The day you decide to make your lifestyle changes, take measurements. Write them down. Once a month, take new measurements. Even if the scale doesn’t seem to be moving, I promise, if you are sticking to your diet, you will see your measurements changing. For almost one entire year, the scale didn’t seem to budge. However, I dropped another pant size and I went from needing an XL shirt to needing a L or sometimes a M. So pick up a measuring tape
Don’t Worry What the Scale Says
This next dieting success tip goes right along with the last one. You will never hear me say, “don’t step on the scale” because I don’t believe that. I believe we should weigh ourselves. Shoot, when I did the Keto diet, I was so freaked out that it wasn’t going to work, that I weighed myself every single day for a few months. The idea of eating fat to lost weight was one I could not wrap my mind around in the beginning. However, if your scale is not budging, don’t worry. Remember, take those measurements. Plus, at the end of the day, if your clothes are fitting looser, then you know you are doing something right, despite what that scale says!
Tomorrow is a New Day
We all slip up. It happens. Don’t let it completely derail you. At the end of the day, remember that tomorrow is a new day. If you allow a slip up to completely throw you off course, it will be harder to get back on track. Simply finish out your day and start your next day back on track with pre-planning your day, etc. I know you can do it!
Figuring out what works for you takes a little time. These 5 tips are what helps me stay on track. I have one more tip for you. We can call it a bonus tip. For me, paying for a service, whether it be the premium version of My Fitness Pal or Carb Manager, or signing up for Weight Watchers online, has helped me stay accountable. I don’t like to waste money!
The scale is my enemy. Its the quickest way I will sabotage myself!
So true. I got on the scale yesterday (my weigh in day) and I only lost 0.2. I was so upset. But really, if I think about it…a loss is a loss…at least it wasn’t a gain!
I need to take measurements today! These are great tips and what I try to follow myself. I know I’m not getting enough water lately.
Do it! I wish I would have taken measurements when I was at my absolute heaviest.
These are such easy and great steps to take! It’s easy to get discouraged and want to quit, thank you for the reminder that tomorrow is another day 😉
You’re welcome! I honestly think the “tomorrow is a new day” tip is huge…at least for me. So often, in the past, if I screwed up, it totally derailed me. Once I accepted that I made a mistake and the next day was a new day, I was able to start fresh and know it was OK.
I just got news from my doctor that if I lose 26 pounds I just might lose diabetes, too. This was such a timely post! I’m going to start that preplanning, but man, I find journaling HARD.. I do agree with you about the water. I fill up a pitcher every day and add some lemon. I have to drink it all- ever day!
If I can help you in any way, let me know! Feel free to message me privately on Facebook and I’m happy to give you my cell and you can text me any time!
These are excellent! Especially the tip about the water. I know when I’m hydrated, I’m less hungry.
Ugh I feel like I can’t get away from the scale. Great tips!
These are great tips! I admit I am a daily weigh-er, but I understand that there factors that may distort the numbers, i.e. bloating, water, natural spikes, etc. On a personal level it helps me stay motivated.